Plovdiv - car rental

Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe, with a history stretching back thousands of years across seven hills rising out of the Thracian plain.

The Old Town itself rewards slow, careful walking rather than driving, but the city works best as a base for a wider trip, from the Rhodope foothills to the south to smaller towns scattered across the plain.

A rental car from SpeedyCars makes that wider trip easy, letting you park up in the centre and head out again whenever suits you. Plovdiv is a city best explored on foot once you arrive, and best reached and left behind by car.

Why rent a car in Plovdiv

Central Plovdiv, and the Old Town in particular, is genuinely better explored on foot, since the cobbled streets and steep lanes were never built with cars in mind.

Once you are ready to look beyond the centre, though, public transport to the surrounding region thins out quickly, and a car becomes the far more practical option for day trips.

Plovdiv is also a major hub for trade fairs and business travel in southern Bulgaria, and visitors here for work often find a car considerably more convenient than relying on taxis between venues.

The city sits roughly midway between Sofia and the Turkish border on the Trakia motorway, which makes it a sensible stopover as well as a base of its own for exploring the wider Thracian region.

What to see in Plovdiv with a rental car

Central Plovdiv rewards a full day on foot before a car adds anything, so the sights below are really about what lies just beyond that.

The Old Town and the Ancient Theatre

The Old Town of Plovdiv is built around National Revival houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, with colourful facades, carved wooden ceilings and courtyards that now house museums and small galleries.

Grand merchant houses such as Balabanov House and Hindliyan House are among the best preserved examples, each offering a glimpse of how wealthy Plovdiv families lived during that period.

At its heart, the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis dates from the 2nd century and remains one of the best preserved Roman theatres anywhere, still hosting concerts today in front of a backdrop of the Rhodope Mountains.

Nebet Tepe, the oldest of the seven hills, sits just above the theatre and gives an excellent overview of the layered history stacked beneath the modern city.

Kapana and the Roman Stadium

Just below the Old Town, the Kapana district has grown from a quiet artisans quarter into by far the liveliest part of the city, packed with independent cafes, galleries and small shops.

The Roman Stadium runs beneath the main pedestrian street nearby, and although only one curved end is visible today, it once held around 30,000 spectators for games and public events.

Further out, Bachkovo Monastery lies about 30 km south in the Rhodope foothills, founded in 1083 and now the second largest monastery in Bulgaria, with Asenova Fortress sitting close by on its own dramatic hilltop above the Asenitsa river.

Practical information for driving in Plovdiv

Plovdiv lies around 144 km from Sofia, mostly along the Trakia motorway, with the drive typically taking a little under an hour and a half in normal traffic.

A Bulgarian vignette is required for the motorway sections, so it is worth arranging this in advance rather than at the last fuel stop before the city.

Much of the Old Town and the main pedestrian street are closed to traffic entirely, so plan on parking at the edge of the centre and continuing on foot from there.

An economy class car is easy to park and manoeuvre for this kind of trip, while a jeep rental suits the climbing roads toward Bachkovo and Asenova Fortress better.

How to rent a car for Plovdiv with SpeedyCars

SpeedyCars does not keep a permanent office in Plovdiv itself, but delivery to the city can be arranged for an additional fee, and collection at Sofia Airport is a popular option given the short drive down.

If you would rather not drive that first leg yourself, our transfer service can bring you straight into the city instead.

Travellers combining Plovdiv with the wider region may also find our guides to Stara Zagora, Pazardzhik and Haskovo useful for planning a longer route.

Current rates for every class are listed on our prices page, and you can book your rental car online with SpeedyCars once your dates are confirmed.